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Nassar's medical license jeopardized by complaints to state

The state Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs said former Michigan State University doctor Larry Nassar is the subject of three open investigations by the department.(Photo: Dave Wasinger/Lansing State Journal)Buy Photo

LANSING - Former Michigan State University doctor Larry Nassar, who's facing four lawsuits and two criminal cases, is the subject of three state regulatory complaints.

The Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs received the complaints on Sept. 12, Sept. 15 and Dec. 22, according to a response to a Lansing State Journal Freedom of Information Act request. The department said the complaints are currently in the "administrative review process," which includes consideration of whether to start an investigation and the formal filing of an administrative complaint after an investigation if grounds to impose sanctions can be substantiated.

Michael Loepp, a LARA spokesman, declined to comment further on the complaints or to say whether formal investigations have been authorized because information prior to the filing of an administrative complaint is confidential.

The state's public website used to verify licenses shows no "open formal complaints" for Nassar. Loepp said that would change if there's an administrative complaint entered.

Nassar, 53, of Holt, worked for MSU for nearly 20 years and spent nearly 30 years with USA Gymnastics. He's one of the figures in a national scandal about the way USA Gymnastics handles sexual assault allegations within the organization.

Since September, more than 60 women have made allegations to law enforcement that Nassar sexually assaulted them, many saying it happened during medical procedures, officials have said. Some allegations date back decades and many women allege the assaults took place on MSU's campus.

Through his attorneys, Nassar has denied any wrongdoing. In a statement in September, they said Nassar performed medical techniques involving vaginal penetration and "any allegations that (he) was performing these procedures for any purpose other than proper medical treatment are patently false and untrue."

However, 20 women allege in lawsuits that they were subjected to either vaginal or anal penetration by Nassar's fingers without granting consent and without Nassar wearing gloves. Four of these women are currently minors while a dozen others who are adults allege they were sexually assaulted when they were younger than 18.

One woman alleges Nassar used "massage cream" as lubricant, but the others allege he didn't use any lubrication, according to court records.

The lack of gloves for such procedures is a violation of LARA's Occupational Health Standards. A lawsuit filed Tuesday also alleges that the medical records for several of the women didn't contain references to intravaginal procedures even though the women allege Nassar penetrated their vaginas with his fingers.

An administrative complaint stemming from any of the three complaints LARA received could lead to a disciplinary subcommittee revoking or suspending Nassar's medical license, or imposing lesser punishments like reprimands, fines or probation. A disciplinary subcommittee can also dismiss a complaint.

Nassar faces four lawsuits from 21 women — filed in Ingham County, California and federal court in Grand Rapids — alleging sexual assaults during medical procedures. Two of those lawsuits involved 19 alleged victims and also name MSU as co-defendants and claim that the university was aware of allegations in 1999 and 2000 and conducted no investigations.

In 2014, the university and its police department conducted separate investigations of Nassar after a then recent graduate made sexual assault allegations. The university's internal Title IX investigation cleared Nassar, in part, based on the opinions of four medical experts with close ties to Nassar and MSU. Ingham County prosecutors declined to issue charges stemming from the police investigation.

MSU fired Nassar in September. Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette, whose office is prosecuting the state charges, said in November during a news conference that more charges are expected.